Food – Page 52 – The Celiathlete

January 28, 2014

Recipe: Slow Cooker Sweet Potato and Apple Soup with Brown Buttered Kale Leaves

It’s flippin’ freezing cold outside! For real. This entire country is under some sort of deep freeze. That polar vortex is making air temperatures unbearable. And, during this sort of weather, my body just wants to shut down…curl up…hibernate.

Unfortunately, life doesn’t work that way.

This past week, we had more winter weather and sub-zero temperatures plaguing my area. My CSA bin was scheduled to arrive a day later now, for the safety of the delivery drivers. So, on a very cold and snowy Saturday afternoon, I returned home to find my new bin waiting outside my door. Inside was a plethora of fruit and veggie goodness. For real. But…with one less day to use the items, I needed something I could make that was simple, clean, and perfect for cold weather.

I stumbled across a recipe for a Sweet Potato and Apple Soup at a blog called 100 Days of Real Food. Intrigued, and having received every necessary ingredient in my bin, I decided to cook it up. After all, I could leave it going on Sunday while I was out for my long run and finishing up my grocery shopping. Perfect.

And this soup…also perfect. As the mercury has fallen again to unbearable temperatures…the fact that I have a nice, steaming bowl of soup waiting for me at home makes the day a little easier to stand. I did a little crispy kale topping for this soup, which is an extra step and not necessary, but trust me…it’s worth it. The original recipe called for sage…but I work with what I have. It’s amazing.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Sweet Potato and Apple Soup with Brown Buttered Kale Leaves

Slow Cooker Sweet Potato and Apple Soup with Brown Butter Kale Leaves

Servings: 6-8
Time: Prep 15 minutes; Cook 5 hours

Ingredients:

½ large onion, cut into large dice
1 lb white potatoes (2 small or 1 large), scrubbed clean and cut into 1 inch pieces with the skin left on
1½ lbs sweet potatoes (3 small or 2 large), scrubbed clean and cut into 1 inch pieces with the skin left on
2 apples, cut into 1 inch pieces with the skin left on
3 cloves garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon salt
4 cups vegetable broth
4 tablespoons butter, divided
¾ cup fresh kale leaves, cut into strips (using culinary scissors or a knife)

Directions:

In the bottom of a slow cooker put in the onion, potatoes, apples, garlic, and salt. Pour the vegetable stock over top.

Turn the slow cooker onto high and cook for 5 hours.

Puree the hot soup either in batches in a counter top blender or by just sticking a hand immersion blender right into your slow cooker (recommended).

Stir in 2 tablespoons of the butter.

In a medium sized pan over medium heat melt the other 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the kale leaves and cook while stirring until butter browns and leaves are crisp, about 1-2 minutes. Top soup with brown buttered sage and serve immediately.

~*~*~

Warm, hearty, yet still light…this soup is the perfect way to warm up in winter. I love a good soup and this one is definitely packed with flavor. And made with real ingredients and real food. It’s no fuss too, which I loved. Coming home from my errands on Sunday, my apartment smelled amazing. I pureed the soup and then dished out 8 servings into individual dishes. I have two in the fridge ready for tonight after I hit up the gym. The rest are in the freezer, because this recipe freezes well. So, don’t worry too much about how much it makes. Make some room in that freezer and save it for a day you really don’t feel like cooking.

ENJOY!

January 28, 2014

Product Review: The Pfunky Griddle Gluten-Free Pancake Mix

Product: The Pfunky Griddle Gluten-Free Pancake Mix – $7.99

Awhile back, on a return trip from visiting my family in Birmingham, Alabama, my roommate and I were hungry. Very hungry. And I got onto my Find Me Gluten-Free app to find somewhere in Nashville, TN, where we might be able to safely grab a bite to eat. My app never steers me wrong…and it threw a few options at me. But…we were very intrigued by The Pfunky Griddle. And after a quick read of the reviews, I felt confident I could eat there and not get sick.

Breakfast food! YES!! They serve salads and sandwiches as well, but if you’re going to The Pfunky Griddle…you’re probably seeking out something to put on the griddle. And that was what we did, splitting an order of the gluten-free pancake mix and topping them off with our toppings of choice.

While we were waiting on a table, however, I spotted my danger zone. They sell their pancake mixes. Seriously. And one of the options they offered was their gluten-free pancake mix. After eating the pancakes at the store, I wanted some to take home. And after working through the plethora of gluten-free pancake mixes (I seriously LOVE pancakes)…I finally got to this one today.

And…you know I can’t do anything simple. The actual making of the batter is easy. Add to mix 2 eggs and 8 ounces of milk. I used my unsweetened almond milk. That was actually the easy part. I made 4 pancakes (1/4 cup of batter each) just plain…just the batter…so I could get an unadulterated taste of it. Then, I made 4 pancakes with blueberries added to them. And then, finally, I made 4 pancakes with white chocolate chips added to them. One batter…3 servings of different pancakes. I was excited, because from what I recall, I loved this batter when I ate at the restaurant.

However…today…I was way less enthusiastic about it. Not that it was bad; it wasn’t. It just…it isn’t able to compare to some of the other mixes I have used in between eating at the restaurant and making them myself at home. The pancakes actually cook up beautifully. Thin little cakes, toasted evenly on each side to a gorgeous golden brown color. The issue, I found, was that they actually tasted…gritty. Now, sometimes gritty is good, but not with pancakes. I was feasting on the plain pancakes this morning…my roommate said hers were pretty good. Which, sometimes means she likes them…and sometimes means that she is just being polite. I should learn not to ask her sometimes…

But, yeah…gritty. Gritty is not a good thing when it comes to pancakes. The batter was well mixed together…so it wasn’t an error on my behalf. And it didn’t have a horrible flavor either. Don’t get me wrong there. They taste like delicious pancakes, but that gritty texture is a little…off putting. In fact, I was happy to down these quickly and then finish off breakfast with my coffee instead of my usual vice-versa finish. My biggest hope is that the pancakes with the added fruit or sweet white chocolate chips offset a bit of that odd, gritty texture. Perhaps that’s why I didn’t notice it at the restaurant…because I was adding blueberries and bananas to my batter on the separate griddle pan.

The Pfunky Griddle Gluten-Free Pancake Mix is a blend of brown rice flour, corn starch, potato starch, salt, sugar and baking powder. Not bad on the ingredients. I managed to get 12 pancakes out of the mix. And they were all of a very decent size too.

So, they weren’t bad…but I just wasn’t as impressed with them at home. The gritty texture was a little…off for me. But, the flavor was good. I’ll give them that. However, I probably wouldn’t buy this again, even if I do stop in at the restaurant for breakfast/brunch again.

Pancakes made from The Pfunky Griddle Gluten-Free Pancake Mix

January 26, 2014

Product Review: Tasty Bite Garlic Brown Rice

Product: Tasty Bite Garlic Brown Rice – $2.49+

As so many of you know, Tasty Bite is my go-to prefabbed food of choice when it comes to needing something quick and on-the-go. I mean, honestly. It doesn’t get much easier than a 90 second nuke in the microwave. The food tastes fresh…like it wasn’t pre-packaged or sold on the shelf of your local grocery store. All-natural…real ingredients help make this a healthy and better choice than other options out there.

Known for Indian and Asian cuisine (the Asian dishes are NOT gluten-free), these are little packets of amazingly flavorful food. They are affordable, don’t take up much space in the pantry, and so easy to prepare. If you haven’t jumped on the Tasty Bite train yet…what are you waiting for?

For those familiar with my blog, you might have read about the past few Tasty Bite meals being…rice. Simply price. I had one with lentils and one that was just plain brown rice. And they were fantastic. Still moist. Still seasoned perfectly. No need to add anything else. Just…sheer, tasty perfection.

The rice trend continues. This time with Tasty Bite Garlic Brown Rice. First of all, I’m a total fan of brown rice. I have been for ages. I actually prefer it to the ultra-refined white rice. I think the texture is better and I love that light, nutty flavor that comes with it. Mmmm. But Tasty Bite, this time, stepped it up. They gave it an extra flavor boost with garlic.

And I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE garlic!

FOR REAL!

So…brown rice…garlic…how can you go wrong? You can’t. Tasty Bite seasoned and flavored this rice with the perfect balance of spices and added vegetables. It made for one interesting and flavorful bite after another. Seriously. I served this with some sauteed baby bok choy. I’m not joking. As I sauteed it up with some garlic…it was a nice match. But I kept them separate on the plate because I wanted to enjoy my rice on its own if I chose. And a few bites…that is exactly what I did. The rice is amazing. It microwaves to perfection…still soft…still moist and fluffy. The flavors melt right into each grain and make it one of the best rices that are pre-made. Seriously.

And look at these ingredients: water, brown rice, carrots, corn, spinach, sunflower oil, garlic, salt, celery, sugar, cumin, chilies. Real ingredients. Recognizable ingredients. What more could you ask for?

Nutritionally speaking…we’re talking good numbers here. A serving is half of the pouch. In this serving, you will be consuming 220 calories and 5 grams of fat. That’s amazing. And you do get a lot of rice in that serving. You will also be treated to a cholesterol-free meal that contains only 420 mg sodium and 1 gram of sugar. Finally, you will be provided with a filling 2 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein.

Healthy. Packed with flavor. Fluffy. Light. Delicious.

TASTY!

If you have yet to try any of the Tasty Bite meals…I encourage you to do so. And if you aren’t brave enough to go for Indian cuisine, give the rice a try. The Garlic Brown Rice is amazing. So if garlic is your thing…it won’t overpower, but it will add plenty of flavor to the rice. Enjoy!

January 25, 2014May 11, 2015

Product Review: Mi-Del Gluten-Free Gingerbread Men Cookies

Product: Mi-Del Gluten-Free Gingerbread Men Cookies – $4.59+

I was in Birmingham, Alabama just before Christmas…visiting my family. My mom had found a new organic and natural food store in the area…and often goes there to shop…because the owner of the store is a Celiac. So much of their offerings are gluten-free…and now also paleo. It was actually a very cool store…and I picked up quite a few items while visiting there…which I hadn’t seen yet around here.

One of these items was the Mi-Del Gluten-Free Gingerbread Men Cookies.

It had been forever since I last had anything gingerbread…minus the amazing gluten-free gingerbread French toast and allergen-free gingerbread donuts my local allergen-free bakery (Annie May’s Sweet Café) makes during the holiday season. But cookies? I haven’t enjoyed a gluten-free gingerbread cookie…ever.

So, when I spotted these…nevermind the fact that I don’t really care for gingerbread…during the holidays…I don’t mind it. I guess it’s part of that holiday feeling…those familiar flavors and tastes.

Well, it’s now almost February…and these cookies have been waiting patiently in my pantry for a little while now (and since my return to the Louisville area, I have found them at Target…go figure!). I was completely out of dessert options for after dinner tonight. Until I remembered I had these lurking in the pantry. Time to pull them out and give them a try.

The cookies actually look exactly like they do on the box. I was impressed. They are this great tan color, with this sugary coating. They looked fantastic and I was actually looking forward into biting into them. I doled out two servings…for myself and my roommate…and we sat down for our little treats.

OH…these are really good. First of all, that gingerbread flavor doesn’t overwhelm or overpower the palate. In fact, they are sweet with just a hint of that ginger spice. Perfect, really. These cookies are crunchy and amazing. In fact, we had to turn the volume up a bit on the cooking show we were watching while we noshed. Every bite was a treat. Sweet…crunchy…it was the perfect way to cap off a meal. Mi-Del does a fantastic job with their gluten-free gingerbread cookies. I was SO happy eating these. With it being so bitterly cold outside…it was like the warmth of the holidays all over again. One bite…and you’ll be hooked too.

Mi-Del Gluten-Free Gingerbread Men Cookies are made from a gluten-free flour mix of corn flour, soy flour, potato flour, rice flour, corn starch, potato starch, and xantahn gum. They also are made up of sugar, modified tapioca starch, canola oil, unsulphured molasses, ginger, baking soda, organic caramel color, sea salt, soybean lecithin, xanthan gum. Every ingredient recognizable. Every ingredient real.

As for nutrition…you’ll love this! Mi-Del Gluten-Free Gingerbread Men Cookies are rather guilt-free. A serving is 4 cookies, which will provide you with 100 calories and 2.5 grans of fat. These are cholesterol free, contain 100 mg of sodium, and only 7 grams of sugar (awesome for a cookie!). You also get 1 gram of fiber and 2 grams of protein.

So…these are relatively healthy as far as cookies go. I didn’t feel guilty at all as I crunched my way through my serving. They are the perfect blend of ginger and sweetness. The crispness of each bite makes you feel like you’re biting into a real treat. And the flavor…amazing. These all natural cookies are fantastic. And if you missed out on them this holiday season…seek them out next year. They are SO good!

January 23, 2014

Product Review: Health Is Wealth Sprouted Grains Chipotle Bean Sprout Burger

Product: Health Is Wealth Sprouted Grains Chipotle Bean Sprout Burger – $5.99+

Lately…I’ve been doing my best to make my own veggie burgers. I’ve been a vegetarian for 4 years now and gluten-free for 3 years…and while there is definitely more of a market for gluten-free/vegan or vegetarian burger patties out there…not all veggie burgers are created equally. I’ve done plenty of experimentation. And, before I had to go gluten-free…I was all about the Morningstar patties. There were none better.

Then…going gluten-free took them off the table and out of my freezer. At first, I lamented this. However, then I went back awhile ago and looked at the ingredient list on Morningstar patties…and cringed! It’s mostly chemicals. YUCK! Maybe this gluten-free thing was a blessing in disguise.

That being said, I’ve found some great veggie burgers and some not-so-great veggie burgers. I’ve had burgers that have fallen apart as they cooked and burgers that wowed me.

Tonight…I tried a different veggie burger.

Made by Health is Wealth, the company that once upon a time made vegan and gluten-free not-chicken nuggets. They no longer make them anymore. Which I still cry about. BUT…they do make veggie burgers too. And these, at least, are vegan and gluten-free.

My natural food store carried two of the varieties of Health is Wealth. The burgers themselves are called Sprout Burgers. Why? Because they are actually made from organic sprouted grains – specifically quinoa, amaranth and millet). These vegan and gluten-free burgers are made with non-GMO soy as well, are baked and never fried, and are packed with flavor. They come in three flavor options – original, Chipotle Bean, and Mushroom and Onion.

With my plethora of romaine lettuce, red onion and roma tomato from my recent CSA bin, a gluten-free veggie burger dinner was definitely needed. So, I pulled out the gluten-free sandwich rolls my local gluten-free bakery (shout-out to Annie May’s Sweet Café on Frankfort Avenue) from my freezer to thaw while I was at work. When I got home, it was just a matter of getting the burgers cooked.

That task was easy. While I toasted the rolls to make the buns, I put the Health Is Wealth Sprouted Grains Chipotle Bean Sprout Burgers on my skillet to cook through. That took about 4 minutes on each side. It didn’t take long at all. I plated up the burgers on the toasted buns with the vegetables and some vegan sriracha sour cream…and dinner was served.

So…how good can the Health Is Wealth Sprouted Grains Chipotle Bean Sprout Burger taste?

AMAZING! First of all, this burger does not crumble. It won’t fall apart as you try to bite into it. The texture is meaty and awesome. The flavor is just the right amount of spice with the right level of spice. It has just enough heat to keep it interesting. The beans add a lot of protein. And the flavor is amazing. I was so impressed with the Chipotle Bean Sprout Burger. I’m also excited that I have two more patties left in the freezer for my roommate and I to eat later this week. These are fantastic. Even meat eaters (like my roomie) will enjoy these. They are hearty, healthy, and just amazing.

So…what sort of ingredients go into vegan and gluten-free burgers? Well, in the case of the Health is Wealth Sprouted Grains Chipotle Bean Sprout Burger…the following: non-GMO hydrated textured soy protein, organic sprouted grains (millet, quinoa, amaranth), non-GMO isolated soy protein, black beans, corn kernels, canola oil, molasses, red pepper, seasonings (sea salt, tomato powder, garlic powder, lime juice), food starch, hydrolyzed soy protein, modified cellulose gum, oat fiber, garlic powder, caramel color, onion powder, sea salt, maltodextrin, yeast extract, lemon juice.

It seems like a lot…but at least it’s not just a load of chemicals and unpronounceable ingredients.

Nutritionally speaking, a serving of the Health Is Wealth Sprouted Grains Chipotle Bean Sprout Burger is one patty. This one patty will serve you up 90 calories (REALLY good for a veggie burger) and 3 grams of fat. These are cholesterol free, contain 420 mg sodium, and only 2 grams of sugar. One serving also gives you 3 grams of fiber and 9 grams of protein. You will definitely feel full.

I absolutely LOVED this burger. My roomie did too. In fact, we both said that we’ll have to try the other Health Is Wealth vegan and gluten-free burgers. They were that great. Loved the texture, the flavor, and everything about these. The price isn’t too bad either. Not for 4 patties in a box. If you haven’t given these a try…make sure you do. They are really fantastic.

Health Is Wealth Sprouted Grains Chipotle Bean Sprout Burger (cooked)

January 23, 2014

Recipe: Blueberry Breakfast Rice Bowl

Rice.

For breakfast.

You read that right. All natural. All things I had at home. All healthy ingredients. And the best part, it really does fill you up. Fiber is a wonderful thing. Trust me.

It was a bitter cold morning…around 0°F…and I didn’t want to have anything cold. Nothing. Hot coffee. Hot breakfast. So, I modified a recipe I spotted in a magazine and it proved to be as epic as it sounded. I loved the play of flavors and the way everything was fresh, light, and filling. This is definitely a hearty, no-guilt breakfast.

Recipe: Blueberry Breakfast Rice Bowl

Servings: 4
Time: Prep 5 minutes; Cook 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup brown rice
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup almond milk
4 teaspoons pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 packet stevia
1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions:

Cook rice according to package directions.

In a medium bowl, combine rice, oil, cinnamon, orange zest and salt. Divide among serving bowls.

In a small saucepan, bring milk and maple syrup to a boil on medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and stevia. Drizzle over top of rice mixture and top with blueberries, dividing evenly.

~*~*~

I loved the warm, homey feel of this breakfast. It was definitely something different. Rice for breakfast…when done like this…doesn’t seem too different at all. The spices and flavors all mixed really well. The blueberries really played well with the cinnamon and lemon. And I loved how everything just sort of played well together.

This is a new favorite. And it is so easy to make.

January 21, 2014

Product Review: Simple Truth Gluten-Free Blueberry Waffles

Product: Simple Truth Gluten-Free Blueberry Waffles – $2.49+

Okay…they aren’t Van’s Gluten-Free Waffles…but they aren’t half bad!

I admit it. I had a coupon for Kroger’s organic brand of waffles from Simple Truth…and they happen to have two varieties of gluten-free waffles on the market…so I definitely took advantage of the coupon this past weekend. And, no sooner had I bought them, I was whipping them out for a quick breakfast. After all, I circuit trained and did spinning this morning. This meant…easy breakfast that can toast while I showered and got ready for work.

Waffles.

Easy peasy!

Onto a baking sheet and into the oven they went (ever since being diagnosed as Celiac…the toaster went into the garbage due to cross-contamination problems…and was never replaced). 10 minutes later, I was pulling golden, perfectly toasted waffles from my oven. They smelled amazing. They toasted up perfectly. And I could even see the blueberries inside the little waffle shapes. Quick, but efficient breakfast was about to commence. A little dab of butter and some maple-agave syrup over the top…and we were in business. I paired it with some water and a cup of coffee. Just the easy meal I needed after a hectic morning.

So, how were they?

Less soft and substantial than Van’s Gluten-Free Waffles. But, for a freezer waffle…for a gluten-free freezer waffle…I give them a solid 8 out of 10. The batter seemed really thin in parts, making them more of a crunchy waffle, rather than that crisp outside, soft middle that I associate with perfect waffles. The blueberries weren’t even throughout…mine were mostly to one side of the waffle…but at least they were in there, right? Yeah! They were sweet, which I love…waffles should be sweet…and they had a good flavor. And, when all is said and done, that is the most important thing. Were they perfect? Nope. Were they edible? Beyond edible. They were tasty. And organic…which you have to love. And they, honestly, were good!

They just weren’t as good as Van’s Gluten-Free Waffles. But…I haven’t found one that is yet either.

Let’s talk ingredients. Simple Truth’s Gluten-Free Blueberry Waffles are made from water, brown rice flour, potato starch, vegetable oil, corn flour, organic tapioca starch, blueberry bits, sugar, potato flour, inulin, leavening, soy lecithin, fruit juice concentrate blend, natural flavors, and salt. So…it’s sort of a mess…but not too bad. Not really. Not for a quick dine-and-dash morning meal anyway. Especially one that is, honestly, coming out of a box in the freezer.

Nutritionally speaking, a serving is 2 waffles. These waffles will serve you up 220 calories and 8 grams of fat. Not great…but not bad either. Van’s does better with 10 fewer calories and 2 grams less fat. So…there is that. The Simple Truth Gluten-Free Blueberry Waffles also will serve you up 350 mg sodium and 7 grams of sugar. Van’s beats them here too, with way less sugar and 30 mg less sodium. You will also have 2 grams of fiber an 1 gram of protein. Not exactly a filling breakfast…but it’s a sugary treat from the freezer (and not one I make a habit of consuming either!).

So, the basic gist of this is…Simple Truth puts out a good gluten-free waffle. The blueberries gave it a nice added bit of flavor. And they had a nice crusty outside that toasted up perfectly. They weren’t the best frozen waffles I have had since going gluten-free…but they are close. I liked them.

So, if you can get Simple Truth products, I recommend trying the Gluten-Free Blueberry Waffles, or even the Gluten-Free Homestyle Waffles (which I’ll get next time I have a coupon). They make a good, quick, and easy breakfast when you have a busy, busy morning. Thumbs up.

Simple Truth Gluten-Free Blueberry Waffles (toasted)

January 21, 2014

Product Review: Liz Lovely Gluten-Free Cowboy Cookies

Product: Liz Lovely Gluten-Free Cowboy Cookies – $3.99+

Remember awhile back when I worked my way through every Liz Lovely gluten-free cookie available?

Times are changing.

And so is Liz Lovely. In fact, they recently just got their certification. Certified. Certified for goodness, of course. But this is HUGE. Liz Lovely is now CERTIFIED 100% FREE OF WHEAT, DAIRY, AND EGGS! Yep.

You know what this means?

It means this cookie monster has more cookies from this amazing company at my disposal. My taste buds are ready!

While out at my local natural food store, I spotted the Liz Lovely shelf that I usually walk to and stare longingly at for a little while. Most of the time I can talk myself out of purchasing a pack of 2 cookies…but this had varieties I had yet to try. I got the roomie to consent to one item off the grocery list/budget this week and we brought home Liz Lovely’s Gluten-Free Cowboy Cookies. Previously, you could only get this version done vegan…now it’s both.

And I am one very happy cookie monster.

So, what is a cowboy cookie? Well, it’s a hearty cookie for one thing. Usually they contain oats, chocolate chips and some sort of nut. Sometimes…coconut is included. In the case of Liz Lovely’s variety of Cowboy Cookies, you get a magical combination of oats, chocolate chips and walnuts. YUMMY!! The base of her cookie is dipped in delicious dark chocolate and the top has some nice dark chocolate stripes. It looked amazing. Sounded delicious. And after dinner last night, I split one in half with my roommate and we enjoyed a gluten-free Cowboy Cookie dessert.

On Liz Lovely’s Web site, she gives a little background as to how the Cowboy Cookies reinvented the idea of the original business concept. Liz Lovely was originally going to do vegan truffles, but it turns out, one night before hosting a tasting party, Liz had extra chocolate but no more centers…so she quickly baked up some oatmeal chocolate-chip cookies and drizzled the extra chocolate all over them. The truffles were all but forgotten at the party. The cookies were the hit. So, the next day, it was decided…Liz Lovely would be a cookie company. Cowboy Cookies…that’s what made it happen.

I can see why too! These cookies are fantastic. Way better than I could even imagine a vegan truffle to be (although I love vegan truffles too). My first dessert love is a cookie…always and forever…so this was a very nice treat. The oats in the dough give it this fantastic texture and a bit of sustenance. The chocolate chips bring the sweetness. And those walnuts…not only add a bit of a crunch, but that saltiness that pairs well with the chocolate. I love how the extra chocolate on the bottom and top of the cookie meshes with the rest of the flavors. It is one sweet, hearty, delicious bite. That’s for sure! Consider me one happy cookie monster.

So…now we’ll talk ingredients and nutrition.

One thing I love about Liz Lovely cookies is that they are real. No ingredient is processed or fake or made up of chemicals. You’ll recognize (and enjoy) everything that goes into her cookies. In the case of the Gluten-Free Cowboy Cookies, you’ll find: unrefined cane sugar, gluten-free rolled oats, rice flour, dark chocolate, palm fruit oil, walnuts, water, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, molasses, vanilla extract, sea salt, potato starch and baking soda. The ingredients aren’t a mile long…and, as I said…everything is recognizable and able to be purchased in your grocery store. LOVE IT!

Now, let’s talk about nutrition. Do remember…this is a COOKIE and any way you slice it (in my case…in half) it is a treat. A serving size of a Liz Lovely Gluten-Free Cowboy Cookie is 1/2 of the cookie. This half will dish you up 180 calories and 8 grams of fat. This half of a cookie also contains 14 grams of sugar (I know…it’s a lot…but it’s a COOKIE!) and a mere 75 mg sodium. Not too shabby. And you’ll also be devouring 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein.

Nice!

And these cookies are naughty and nice. Honestly. If you are going to splurge, I encourage you to find a store that sells Liz Lovely’s cookies and give them a try. I have yet to find any better on the market. They are soft, chewy, and just…amazing.

And…if you can’t find them where you live, you can always order online.

Do it. You’ll fall in love too.

January 18, 2014

Product Review: Tasty Bite Brown Rice

Product: Tasty Bite Brown Rice – $2.49+

Brown rice.

People either love it or hate it.

Me…I happen to love it. It just…takes so long to prepare. In fact, brown rice often takes longer to get to cook perfectly than white rice. But with white rice being so refined, brown rice is always a better option.

I just don’t always have time to let it cook up on the stove.

Thankfully…Tasty Bite has me covered.

Yes. Tasty Bite.

Yes…the makers of all those amazing little Indian meals I blog about from time to time.

The very same Tasty Bite.

They do rice too. They do it well. And they make it so easy to enjoy.

There isn’t too much I can say about Tasty Bite’s Brown Rice. I mean…it’s brown rice. But I can say this…

The package contains fully cooked brown rice that you simply reheat in the microwave for 90 seconds. Yes. 90 seconds and you have two servings of rice as your fingertips. It’s brilliant and very convenient. Brown rice is full of vitamins, minerals and fiber, and is my favorite type of rice to incorporate into meals. Tasty Bite’s Brown Rice has that nutty flavor and that tougher texture that regular brown rice has. The flavor…is that of plain brown rice…which is why I served vegetarian baked beans over mine. Hey…don’t mock. I had vegetarian baked beans in the pantry…just begging to be used. It actually worked together very well.

Let’s talk ingredients and nutrition then, since brown rice is…well…brown rice. The Tasty Bite Brown Rice pouch contains water, brown rice, and sunflower oil. That’s it. As it is precooked, you’re steaming it back to life and then pouring it into a dish. The microwavable pouch contains two servings of brown rice.

Half of the package, that being a serving, will dish you up 240 calories and 3 grams of fat. This particular rice is cholesterol-free, sugar-free, and contains no sodium. My roommate will love reading that. This serving provides 2 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. Filling. Nutrition. Delicious. And the Tasty Bite Brown Rice is vegan, vegetarian, kosher, and gluten-free. Loving it.

So, you don’t have to spend the better part of the evening at your stove waiting on your brown rice to cook to perfection. Nope. Let Tasty Bite do that for you…letting you have your rice ready in a minute and a half as opposed to 20-30 minutes (if not longer!). The rice you get is fluffy, light, and seriously cooked to perfection. It sure does make dinner a lot easier and quicker to get on the table.

Thank you, Tasty Bite…for taking the stress and guess work out of cooking brown rice.

January 17, 2014

Recipe: Smashed Herbed Potatoes

I am a runner. Carbs are my friend. And I just happen to be a huge, huge fan of potatoes. I love potatoes. Any way you can serve them up, I will devour them.

Recently in my CSA bin, I received a huge bag full of fingerling potatoes. Instead of roasting them up as I normally would, I wanted to do something different. I wanted to think outside of the normal box I hem myself in when potatoes are in my kitchen.

So…that’s exactly what I set out to do. I decided to finally get to smashing potatoes. I’m not talking mashed potatoes. I really mean…smashed potatoes. I served mine with a dipping sauce of Spinach & Artichoke Hummus.

For real. And yeah…it was super delicious.

Recipe: Smashed Herbed Potatoes

Smashed Herbed Potatoes (with Spinach and Artichoke Hummus)

Servings: 4-6
Time: Prep 30 minutes; Cook 25 minutes

Ingredients:

12 fingerling potatoes (or other small potatoes, like new potatoes, etc.)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
Rosemary (or other herbs of choice), to taste

Directions:

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes to the water and cook them until they are fork-tender.

On a sheet pan, generally drizzle olive oil. Place the tender potatoes on the cookie sheet, leaving plenty of room between each potato.

With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again. Do this to all the potatoes. Then, brush the tops of each crushed potato generously with more olive oil.

Sprinkle the potatoes with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, and freshly chopped rosemary (or chives or thyme or whatever herb you have available).

Bake in a 450°F oven for 20-25 minutes until they are golden brown.

Serve.

~*~*~

OH. MY. GOD.

This is my new favorite way to eat potatoes. For real. I mean…packed with flavor. The fresh herbs really draw out amazing flavors. And dipping it into hummus was sheer genius. Trust me. This is one dish that is totally worth making. It takes some time, but…you will be as addicted to these as I am.

I’m already wanting to make it again. And thankfully, this week’s CSA bin is coming with fingerling potatoes. Hmmm…

Get smashing and enjoy!